1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a nursery band and, more particularly, to a nursery band applicable to both states where a baby or infant is held in a lateral manner and a vertical manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is preferable that a nursery band, which is used at the time when a person walks while holding a baby or infant in his/her arms or on his/her back, should be used in various manners according to the growth level of the baby or infant. In other words, it is preferable that a baby should be held in a lateral manner during babyhood before the head of the baby is set. In contrast, it is preferable that an infant should be held in a pickaback ride or a vertical manner when the head of the infant is set and the body of the infant becomes bigger.
When a baby is held in the lateral manner, it is undesirable from the viewpoint of safety that the head of the baby is exposed. Therefore, a nursery band applicable to the laterally holding manner is normally provided with a shield for covering the head of the baby. In contrast, the above-described shield becomes obstructive in a nursery band applicable to the pickaback ride or the vertically holding manner.
There have been already proposed some nursery bands applicable to both of the laterally holding manner and the vertically holding manner, as described above.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 2003-401 discloses a baby carrier (i.e., a nursery band) with a pad, which can provide safety and comfort according to various holding manners such as a laterally holding manner, a pickaback ride and a vertically holding manner. The baby carrier (i.e., the nursery band) disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 2003-401 is equipped with two kinds of pads independently of a carrier body (i.e., the nursery band), wherein the two kinds of pads are used according to the growth level of a baby. Specifically, a pad having a shield-like guard for covering the head of a baby is used during babyhood when the head of the baby has not been set yet. In contrast, a pad without any guard is used when the head of an infant is set and the body of the infant becomes bigger.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 2000-245581 discloses a nursery band which can be used with respect to not only a baby but also an infant as a child grows. The nursery band disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 2000-245581 has a baby head keeper having a rising side surface for surrounding a head of a baby or infant head supporter without any rising side surface independently of a nursery band body, wherein these two kinds of component parts are used according to the growth level of a baby or infant. Specifically, when a small baby is held in a lateral manner, the baby head keeper having the rising side surface is attached to the nursery band body. In contrast, when a relatively big infant is held in a vertical manner, the baby head keeper is detached, and in turn, the infant head supporter is attached to the nursery band body.
In both of the nursery bands disclosed in both of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 2003-401 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 2000-245581, the two kinds of component parts are prepared independently of the nursery band body, and thus, they are used according to the growth level of the baby or infant.
However, the number of component parts should be preferably small from the viewpoint of user friendliness or a cost.